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Quaternary fossil coral communities in uplifted strata along the Balochistan coast of Pakistan: understanding modern coral decline in the Arabian Sea

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Abstract

Uplifted reefs due to being important palaeoclimate archives and a rich source of information on past physical and geochemical changes globally have become the centre of marine research. The uplifted fossil Quaternary coral communities of Jiwani and Gwadar are perfect places to study the palaeoclimatic and geological changes that have shaped the Balochistan coast. Studies on the palaeodiversity of corals along the Makran coast of Pakistan are lacking. In the present study, the samples collected using line intercept method from four uplifted sites (Balochistan coast: one at Gwadar and three at Jiwani) were analysed. The relative distribution and diversity of scleractinian fossil corals was determined, and the factors responsible for coral decline along Pakistan coast were compared with modern coral distribution and diversity. A total of 48 fossil coral species were recorded in nine families and 22 genera. High coral diversity was recorded in the uplifted landward sites of Jiwani and Gwadar headland. Terraces close to the shore at Jiwani had lower diversity. The corals seem to be Quaternary: most likely Pleistocene to Holocene. The modern fauna lacks many species recorded in the fossil community, thus suggesting a faunal turnover in diversity and redistribution of coral fauna which may be linked with past geological events and increasing anthropogenic pressure.

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Acknowledgements

The first author is highly thankful to Professor Dr. Pirzada Jamal A. Siddiqui, Director, Centre of Excellence in Marine Biology, University of Karachi, for providing the facilities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre of Excellence in Marine Biology, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan

    Amjad Ali & Pirzada Jamal A. Siddiqui

  2. Elemental Environment Ltd., Level 9, 49 Boulcott Street, PO Box 25391, Wellington, 6146, New Zealand

    Kate Bromfield

  3. Department of Marine Geology, King Abdul-Aziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

    Athar Ali Khan

  4. Department of Zoology, University of Poonch, Rawalakot, Pakistan

    Pervaiz Iqbal

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  1. Amjad Ali
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  2. Pirzada Jamal A. Siddiqui
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  3. Kate Bromfield
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  4. Athar Ali Khan
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  5. Pervaiz Iqbal
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Correspondence to Amjad Ali.

Appendix

Appendix

Table 3 List of fossil coral collected from an uplifted location at Ras Gunz near Jiwani, Balochistan. Taxa with a question mark were not identified with certainty. From Siddiqui et al. (2011)
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Table 4 General observations recorded at each site with GPS coordinates and elevations from sea level
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Ali, A., Siddiqui, P.J.A., Bromfield, K. et al. Quaternary fossil coral communities in uplifted strata along the Balochistan coast of Pakistan: understanding modern coral decline in the Arabian Sea. Arab J Geosci 10, 520 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-017-3306-4

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